Published: Sunday, March 31, 2013 at 09:56 PM.

For the wheelchair-bound travelers of this elderly housing development, getting in and out for common necessities can be at the least uncomfortable.

“It’s rough riding for a wheelchair,” said 71-year-old Foster Billings, who lost a leg from diabetes and lives in the “A” building near the entrance. “But, it’s not really inconvenient for me; it’s the people in the back that have it rough.”

A smoother ride soon may become a reality. City Commissioners approved plans for resurfacing projects of 2013 during last week’s meeting.

“It would be nice to have a smoother ride,” said 53-year-old Kirby Gulbrandsen, a resident of building “E” for six years. “Right now handicap spots aren’t marked and coming down off the ramps is difficult.”

And, as the road, installed in 1975, nears the end of the cul-de-sac, a jagged speed bump protrudes from the ground and a 3-foot-wide crater takes up a large portion of the roadway.

In total the city approved a contract of $391,292.90 to Anderson Columbia to resurface about 17 roads and restripe six streets. The majority of funds come from general fund resurfacing and utility adjustments totaling $304,706. HUD resurfacing and utility adjustments kicked in a total $104,246. The city will have a $17,656.10 surplus in the budget.

For the wheelchair-bound travelers of this elderly housing development, getting in and out for common necessities can be at the least uncomfortable.

“It’s rough riding for a wheelchair,” said 71-year-old Foster Billings, who lost a leg from diabetes and lives in the “A” building near the entrance. “But, it’s not really inconvenient for me; it’s the people in the back that have it rough.”

A smoother ride soon may become a reality. City Commissioners approved plans for resurfacing projects of 2013 during last week’s meeting.

“It would be nice to have a smoother ride,” said 53-year-old Kirby Gulbrandsen, a resident of building “E” for six years. “Right now handicap spots aren’t marked and coming down off the ramps is difficult.”

And, as the road, installed in 1975, nears the end of the cul-de-sac, a jagged speed bump protrudes from the ground and a 3-foot-wide crater takes up a large portion of the roadway.

In total the city approved a contract of $391,292.90 to Anderson Columbia to resurface about 17 roads and restripe six streets. The majority of funds come from general fund resurfacing and utility adjustments totaling $304,706. HUD resurfacing and utility adjustments kicked in a total $104,246. The city will have a $17,656.10 surplus in the budget.

The city originally projected resurfacing cost at $455,259.

The city’s engineering department usually drives every street of Panama City in the fall, ranking streets on a scale of 1 to 5. The worst roads receive a 1, meaning the street needs to be repaired in one year. The city’s budget only allows for so many roads to be repaired yearly, so a priority list of the worst roads is arranged.